Massage device



Nov. 22, 1932. J. A. MASHEK 1,888,510

MASSAGE DEVI CE Filed June 27, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l J55qvfi 1 4155/2 5%,

Patented Nov. 22, 1932 T UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

JOSEPH EK, or KEWAUNEE, WISCONSIN MASSAGE nnvrcn Application fileii .Tune "27,

The invention relates to massaging implements and the like, and more particularly to that type of devices of this characterwh ch are motor operated, the principal object being to produce a structure which is simple and compact, yet durable, highly efficient and easily manipulated. Other ob ects and par ticular advantages to be attained w1ll herein after more fully appear. 1- V 1 In the accompanying drawings, illustrating a practical adaptation of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the complete device; v i V Fig. 2 is an elevation of the working end .5: of the device;

Fig. 3 is aplan view of one of the rubber massaging elements; Y Fig. 4: is a fragmentary view of theworhing end portion of the device, partly in longitudinal section and partly in side elevatlon;

Fig. "5 is a view, partly in transverse section and partly in elevation, with a portion, of the motor casing removed; M

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view, on an enlarged scale, illustrating details of the eccentric driving members; i

1 Fig. 7 is a face view of the intermedlate eccentric driving member; Fig. 8 is a face view of one of the outer ec- C39 centric driving members;

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of one of the members for connecting the eccentric driving members to the oscillatory supports for themassaging elements and Fig.10 is a similar view of the companion connecting member.

Referring now to the vdrawings, the numeral 11 designates the handle member, on.

the forward end of whichis mounted a casing 12 for housing an electric motor to be presentlyinore fullydescribed, and at its opposite end being provided with a rotatable switch operating button 13, which latter is preferably knurled peripherally or otherwise formed for convenience in its manipulation.

WVithin the adjacent end portionof the handleis a suitable electric switch (not shown) of any suitable construction and arrangement and preferably havingprovision for control- .5 ling the operation of the motor at variable 'ments 26, 27 respectively, the outer end portions of which are provided, as at 28, for the 1930. sen-nae. 464:;353. v

speeds, at will. Connected to this switch in any obvious manner, preferably axially through said manipulating button 13, is an ordinary electric conducting cord lethaving" the:1 usual'plugging in element 15 at its free en j I 7 Within the casing 12 is an ordinary electric motor having the usual field winding 16'and armature 17, the outer end portion of the. armature shaft 18 being journaled in a suit; able thrust bearing 19 which is preferably resilientiy supported by the spring 20 within a socket 21 provided therefor in the removable outer section 22 of the casing 12. Mounted on an annular frame 23 within the motor casing, on pivot studs 24, 25, on diametrically opposite sidesof the armature shaft, are apair of' bell cranks or oscillatory supporting eledetachable engagement of the shanks or stem 1 portions 29 of massaging elements 30, which 7 latter are made of-rubber or othersuitable resilient composition, and of any approved or conventional form. As shown in the draw--- ings, the 'massaging elements have disc-like body-portions, on the outer face of which are a multiplicity of projectingfingers 31, but, as above stated, elements of "various other forms may be substituted in placethereof. p ,The inwardly extending arms of the bell cranks or oscillatory supports 26, 27 are overlapped in; opposed working relation to each otherso that power may be applied to. them the pivotal axes of said members 26, 27 1 whereby the massaging elements are moved simultaneously towards and from each other,

the actuation of the members 26, 27, being preferably effected by means of the following described eccentric driving elements and connections. 7, V j p I r As shown more clearly in Figs. 5 and 6 of l the drawings, the armature shaft 18of the motor provided with an eccentric portion 32, on which is fastened the hub portion 33 of an intermediate driving member 34in the form of a circular disc having concentric annular grooves 35 in its opposite faces. opposite sides of the member 34: are annular in a direction transversely of a line through 3 members 36, 37, which are provided with concentric grooves on their inner faces wh1ch register respectively with the groove in the adjacent face of the intermediate member 34 so as toprovide a raceway for a series of balls 38 whereby to afford an anti-friction bearing between the cooperating members 34, 36v and 37, said members being held in working relation to each other by angular clips 39, 40, portions 41 and 42 of which respectively overlap the outer faces of the annular driving members 36 and 37, the right angular portions '43, 44, being overlapped the cooperating annular driving member '36 or 37; A ball 47 is placed and retained in each of the spherical cavities afforded by the respective registering indentations and 46, by which provisionthe annular driving member 36 is pivotally connected to the arm 26" of the bell crank '26 and the opposite driving. member 37 is likewise connectedto' the arm 27 of the bell crank 27. Preferably, the cooperating overlapped portions'43, 44, of the clips 39, 40, are provided with registering elongated openings or slots 48, 49,

through which the securing screws a-r'e inserted into correspondingly registering threaded openings provided therefor in the arms 26v and 27 of the bell cranks 26, 27,by

which provision all undue looseness or play between the members 34, 36, 37 39 and 40 is taken up and adjustment for wear is readily accomplished.

. In operation, the intermediate driving member 34 being mounted eccentrically. upon the armature shaft 18, it moves correspondinglyv in an orbit about the axis of the shaft. The annular outer driving members 36 and 37 being movably held in working'relation to the intermediate member 34cby the "respective series of bearing balls in'the concentric raceways afiorded by the registering grooves in the meeting faces of the members 34, 36

f and 37 and said members 36 and 37 being held against full rotation with themember 34 by the ball and socket connection with the respective clipsv40 as afforded by the balls 47 located in the indentations 45 and 46, the

members 26 and 27, whose end portions'26 and 27 are respectively attached to, the cooperating clips 39 and'40, are rocked about i is to say, the belljcranks or oscillatorysup-i their respective pivot studs 24 and 25. That porting members26 and 27 carrying the massaging elements 30, are pivotally at-. tached to the respective annular outer driving members 36 and 37 whereby the latter are held from rotation except toa very limited T degree, suficient to compensate for the rocking motion of the members 26 and 27 and permit the eccentrically mounted intermediate driving member 34 to revolve through its orbit without undue resistance, the anti-friction bearings afforded by the balls 38 working in the raceways between the meeting faces of said members 34, 36 and 37 reducing frictional resistance to a minimum and at the same time the ball and socket connec tion between the retaining clips 40 and the cooperating members 36 and 37, together with the rovision for adjustment in the manner; 0 attachment of the cooperating pairs of retaining clips 39 and 40 to the arms 26 and 27 of the members 26, 27, assures positive operation of thedevice andavoids undue heating. 3

Obviously the structure may be modified in 3 many respects without in the least departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined-by the appended claims. The invention, therefore, is not limited to the specific construction and arrangement shown in the accompanying drawings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis; I

l 1. In a device of the character described, a power shaft, a pair of oscillatory supporting members whose pivotal axes are diametrically opposite said power shaft, said oscillatory members having opposed cooperating lever arms, an intermediate driving member mounted eccentrically on said power shaft, a pair of annular members arranged cooperatively on opposite sides of said intermediate driving member rotatable concentrically with respectto said driving member, anti-friction means between said intermediate and outer driving members affording an annularly slidable connection jwhereby to transmit the eccentric movement of said intermediate driving member to said outer members, and means for pivotally attaching the opposed leverarms of said oscillatory supporting members shaft, an opposed pair of annular outer driving members on opposite sides of said intermediate member, said members having interposed anti-friction bearings afforded by annularly grooving their meeting faces and of the character described,

iob

iis

placing therein a series of balls, and means for pivotally connecting: the cooperating inner end portions of said oscillatory members respectively to said outer annular (lIlVlIlg members, said means comprising-right angular clips ad ustably secured on said OSClllHF tory members and having opposed angular respectively to said'outer annular driving 111:0

portions straddling the assembled driving members, the cooperating angular portion of one of said attaching clips and the meeting face of the adjacent annular outer driving member having registered indentations, and a ball contained therein.

3. A massage device comprising a power shaft, an opposed pair of oscillatory bell crank supporting elements having substantially parallel arms disposed on o posite sides of the axis of said power sha t with provision for interchangeable attachment of massaging implements to the end portions thereof, means for actuating said oscillatory supporting elements to simultaneously move the attached massaging implements in opposite directions in cooperative relation to each other, said actuating means comprising an eccentric fixedly mounted on said power shaft, cooperative elements on opposite sides of said eccentric and having a connection with said eccentric whereby to permit relative rotative movement between them, and means for pivotally connecting said cooperative elements whereby to restrict the rotative movement thereof with respect to said eccentric and to impart oscillatory motion to said supporting elements for said massaging implements.

4. In a device of the character described, a handle member, a motor casing at the end of said handle member, a motor in said casing,

a power shaft driven by said motor, an intermediate driving member mounted eccentrically on said power shaft, a pair of annular driving members located on opposite sides of said intermediate driving member, the meeting faces of said intermediate and outer driving members having interposed annular antifriction bearings whereby to permit relative concentric rotative movement of said outer driving members with respect to said intermediate driving member and at the same time impart the eccentric movement of said intermediate driving member to said outer driving members, a pair of oscillatory supportingmembers pivotally mounted diametrically opposite the axis of said power shaft, said oscillatory supporting members having opposed inwardly extending lever arms on opi posite sides of the axis of said power shaft, one of said lever arms being pivotally connected to one of said outer driving members and the other lever arm being likewise connected to the opposite outer driving member but in diametrically opposed relation to the pivotal connection of said first mentioned lever arm, whereby to move said oscillatory supporting members in opposite directions.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOSEPH A. MASHEK. 

